Transfer Outlook PST to Office 365 Manually Using Network Upload

Office 365 by Microsoft is an excellent suite that provides cloud-based services to customers. Knowing the features offered by Office 365 most of the people migrate from Outlook to Office 365. While you can use PST to Office 365 migration tool, there is also a free method to import PST to Office 365. Migration of PST to Office 365 involves uploading of PST files to Office 365 using Network Upload option.

Exporting PST files to Office 365 is a complex task and some perquisites are required before starting the migration process. Users should be familiar with the tools and techniques used in migration. Following tools will be required for PST to Office 365 migration

How to Import PST to Office 365?

While transferring single PST files to Office 365 quite be a troublesome task, Network Upload options allow migrating bulk PST files to Office 365. Follow the given steps in the same order to import PST files to Office 365.

Step 1: Install Azure AzCopy and Copy SAS URL

SAS URL is a network of URLs that can be used to store the location of Azure in Microsoft Cloud and SAS Key (Shared Access Signature Key) for the organization. The SAS key is set permissions to move email from the outlook storage location of Azure.

  • Go to the link protection.office.com
  • Now sign in to Office 365 administrator account
  • Select the Data Governance option and click on the import button
  • The Import page will open, now click on the Import Service
  • Click on the New Job and then Upload Email Message (PST Files)
  • The page to upload files will open, here select the show network to upload SAS URL (as given in Step 2 below)
  • Copy the URL and save the URL into a file
  • Go to Download tool option and install the Azure AzCopy (Details are given in Step 3)
  • A pop-up window will appear to click on the Run button

Step 2: Import Bulk PST to Office 365

  • Go to Start and type CMD in the search bar
  • Open Command Prompt as administrator
  • Now open the AzCopy.exe tool to migrate PST files to Office 365 by a given command
  • AzCopy.exe /Source: (Location of PST files) /Dest: (SAS URL) /V: (Log file location)

Step 3: Verify PST Files Are Uploaded

  • Install the Microsoft Azure Storage Explorer
  • Open the explorer and checklist of PST files transferred to Office 365
  • Now we have files stored on the Azure from which they can be mapped to respective mailboxes

Step 4: Create PST to Map File

Now convert the files to .CSV (Comma Separated Values). These files will be imported to user mailboxes

Step 5: Export Files to Office 365

  • Now again login to Office 365 with an administrator account
  • Go to Data Governance and select import
  • From the import, window click on import services
  • Now select the new job and (+ sign) and click upload e-mail messages
  • On Upload Files over the network, select ‘I am done uploading my files’ and enable checkbox ‘I have access to Map file’. Click on Next
  • Select PST Import job and click next
  • Click on Add button to Add PST mapping
  • Select the CSV file stored and then click on Validate CSV
  • Read the terms and conditions and enable the checkbox
  • Click on Finish to submit the job for importing PST to Office 365

The process to transfer Outlook PST to Office 365 will be completed. As the PST to Office 365 migration is complex and involves lots of application thus it involves risk. Users not having technical knowledge should not go for a manual approach and always back-up your Outlook PST files before migration to avoid data loss.

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